Have you ever felt so stuck on a problem or decision that no matter what you do, you just can’t seem to get clarity? 

Even when you look at it from different perspectives, ask others for input, or spend time reflecting, it can feel like you’re just going in a loop. No matter where you turn, there doesn’t seem to be a solution. 

Maybe you’re trying to make a big life decision about whether to move, take a new job, or leave a relationship. Or maybe you’re craving a change in your life or career and don’t know what that change is exactly, or how to make it happen. 

I felt this way for years when I was running my online marketing company. I was successful on paper, but I wasn’t fulfilled. 

I knew deep down that I wanted to make a change – but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get clarity about the next right step for me. 

When you’re caught in this place, we call it being “inside the box.” It’s literally as though you’re stuck in a box, the instructions are written on the outside, and there’s no way out. 

Albert Einstein once said, “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” 

This is why it can be so tough to get yourself out of a place where you feel stuck or unclear – because you’re essentially trying to solve your problem from the same perspective that created the problem in the first place!

It’s nearly impossible to see beyond the level of thinking you’re in right now, unless you find a strategy to help shift your perspective. 

Here’s the paradox: trying to solve this type of problem only ends up perpetuating the problem. 

We teach the coaches in our certification program that if a client is feeling stuck or unclear, it isn’t the coach’s job to help them find a solution. In fact, that can be counter-productive (because the coach ends up “in the box” right alongside the client!). 

Instead, we teach them strategies that allow them and the client to step OUTSIDE the box and approach things from a whole new angle. 

If you’re feeling stuck or unclear, try these steps to shift to a new level of thinking so you can get clarity without trying to “think” your way there (and getting even more stuck in the process): 

    1. Do more of the things that bring you alive. 

This can be anything that inspires you or excites you, but it can also be activities that make you feel peaceful, nurtured, and more like yourself. For example, if you used to love to run but you’ve been out of the habit for ages, add this habit back in for 30 days consistently, and notice how you feel. 

When you’re doing what brings you alive, you’ll experience a natural shift in perspective and start seeing the world through a new lens. Your thinking will begin to change and you’ll start to see solutions and opportunities, instead of problems and challenges. Before you know it, the question or situation you’ve been craving clarity on may resolve itself, or the answer may “suddenly dawn” on you. This is the power of aliveness.

    2. Find a bigger & better problem to put your attention on!  

Shift your attention off of the thing that’s been driving you crazy and instead, focus on a dream for the future or a project that gets you fired up. When you find something that really excites you and channel your focus into it, you may notice your problems and challenges begin to naturally dissipate. 

For me, after years of feeling stuck and trying to “figure out” what I wanted to do next, I finally got the clarity I had been craving after spending two days in Costa Rica fully unwinding and connecting to my dreams for the future. When I stopped trying to “solve” my problem and got deeply relaxed instead, clarity dawned. 

   3. Get outside support! 

All too often, we’re stuck in our own bubble and with it, our own ways of thinking. When you get support from a coach, a community, or by attending an event or class, you can broaden your perspective. The truth is, you know deep down exactly what you want. But it can be tough to get crystal clear about your vision & next steps on your own. 

That’s why we created our Clarity Call experience. We offer a limited number of free 1:1 breakthrough coaching calls on a monthly basis to help you get crystal clear on your vision, what’s holding you back, and a plan/path to get there. Apply for your free Clarity Call here. 

Remember: clarity doesn’t come from “solving” your problem. It comes through a shift in perspective. 

Whether you get there on your own or apply for a free Clarity Call so one of our trained coaches can support you, commit to taking ONE action out of what you’ve learned from this article. 

We look forward to hearing what you discover!